This invention relates to fluid line systems which include coupling assemblies, and more particularly, to a coupling assembly of the type for connecting a male member formed at the end of a tube in a hollow female connector.
In the automotive and other fields, one type of coupling assembly often utilized to provide a fluid connection between two components or conduits is a quick connector coupling, which generally includes a male member received and retained in a female connector. Use of a quick connector coupling is advantageous in that a sealed and secured fluid line may be established with a minimum amount of time and expense.
A retainer is often used to secure the male member within the female connector. One such type of retainer includes a plurality of locking beams which extend between a radial upset formed on the male member and an annular face defined in the female connector. The abutment of the retainer with the radial upset at one end and the annular face at the other end prevents the withdrawal of the male member from the female connector. This type of retainer is prevalent in the art and has proven effective in many fluid line applications.
Nevertheless, such retainers have occasionally been prone to failure. During the connection of the male member in the female connector, the male member may be inserted insufficiently into the female connector for the upset formed on the male member to surpass the locking beams of the retainer. This insufficient insertion of the male member into the female connector allows the male member to be accidentally removed from the female connector with little effort.
Another concern associated with the use of a retainer having a plurality of locking beams is contaminants entering into the entrance of the female connector and being embedded between the locking beams. The presence of contaminants in the female connector can cause the male member, female connector or retainer to erode and fail prematurely. Furthermore, the presence of contaminants in the female connector prevents a tool from entering the female connector to release the retainer for removal of the male member from the female connector.
The present invention is a coupling assembly for providing a fluid connection comprising a female connector, a tube, a retainer and a cap. The female connector defines a bore. The bore extends axially inwardly into the connector from an entrance. An annular face is defined in the bore axially inwardly of the entrance. The tube is received within the bore. The tube has an enlarged upset. The retainer is disposed in the bore. The retainer has a member directly contacting the upset and extends to the annular face to retain the tube in the bore. The cap is slidably mounted on the tube and is attached to the female connector. The cap has a protrusion directly contacting the upset.